santi lumubol // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.51
- Total employment: 350 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Kansas City that don't require a college degree
Gen Z has figured out that college isn't the only way to land a high-paying job. According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 2 in 5 (38.6%) of recent high school graduates opted out of college in 2023, up from 33.8% in 2019.
This shift comes at a good time for high school grads, as companies face labor shortages for many jobs that don't require a college degree. Baby boomers retiring and a trend to reopen factories in the United States have both driven demand for young talent. A July 2024 Intelligent report found that 1 in 3 companies have already dropped bachelor's degree requirements across entry-level, mid-tier, and even senior positions to attract more employees.
The need for skilled workers, regardless of educational attainment, means better pay. Median wages for those with a high school degree are at their highest since 1990, according to the New York Federal Reserve.
At $40,000 on average, these wages are still $20,000 lower than those of a college grad. Yet nearly 1 in 5 workers who opt out of college earn more than employees with bachelor's degrees. Two million high school grads across the U.S. make six-figure annual salaries—without the financial burden of attending a four-year university. As of 2025, the average annual cost of college is more than $38,200 per student, and the average college graduate has more than $39,000 in student debt. It's little wonder that, according to a May 2024 survey from Pew Research, 29% of Americans think attending college is not worthwhile.
However, not every career field pays high school grads equally well, and understanding what the good jobs are is the first step to landing one. Stacker ranked the 50 highest-paying jobs that don't require a college degree in Kansas City using annual compensation data from the BLS. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma, a postsecondary nondegree award, or had no formal education requirements for entry-level positions. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $63,480
- Median hourly wage: $30.52
- Total employment: 3,430 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $63,570
- Median hourly wage: $30.56
- Total employment: 760 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $63,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 1,500 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Fortish // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
- Median annual wage: $63,970
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $64,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.87
- Total employment: 1,110 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $65,120
- Median hourly wage: $31.31
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $65,190
- Median hourly wage: $31.34
- Total employment: 2,140 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $65,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 9,460 people (8.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 390 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $68,290
- Median hourly wage: $32.83
- Total employment: 11,250 people (10.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Personal service managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $69,790
- Median hourly wage: $33.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Median annual wage: $70,260
- Median hourly wage: $33.78
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
M2020 // Shutterstock
14 / 50#36. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $70,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.91
- Total employment: 610 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Brickmasons and blockmasons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $70,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.91
- Total employment: 600 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $70,870
- Median hourly wage: $34.07
- Total employment: 270 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SGr // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Machine feeders and offbearers
- Median annual wage: $71,910
- Median hourly wage: $34.57
- Total employment: 410 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $72,260
- Median hourly wage: $34.74
- Total employment: 170 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $72,590
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 140 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $72,600
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 3,300 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Washburn HM // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $73,180
- Median hourly wage: $35.18
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $73,550
- Median hourly wage: $35.36
- Total employment: 4,510 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $74,100
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 5,260 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $74,560
- Median hourly wage: $35.85
- Total employment: 4,920 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $75,870
- Median hourly wage: $36.48
- Total employment: 920 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $76,130
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Airfield operations specialists
- Median annual wage: $76,190
- Median hourly wage: $36.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,690
- Median hourly wage: $37.35
- Total employment: 3,850 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
funnyangel // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Median annual wage: $78,150
- Median hourly wage: $37.57
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $78,410
- Median hourly wage: $37.70
- Total employment: 3,190 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $78,640
- Median hourly wage: $37.81
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $79,550
- Median hourly wage: $38.25
- Total employment: 850 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $79,800
- Median hourly wage: $38.37
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $81,500
- Median hourly wage: $39.19
- Total employment: 1,310 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $81,810
- Median hourly wage: $39.33
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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HannaTor // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Gambling managers
- Median annual wage: $81,830
- Median hourly wage: $39.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisKlimov // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $82,800
- Median hourly wage: $39.81
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $82,950
- Median hourly wage: $39.88
- Total employment: 550 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $83,580
- Median hourly wage: $40.18
- Total employment: 5,200 people (4.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Said M // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Service unit operators, oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $88,880
- Median hourly wage: $42.73
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $90,180
- Median hourly wage: $43.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $91,620
- Median hourly wage: $44.05
- Total employment: 820 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $91,710
- Median hourly wage: $44.09
- Total employment: 1,170 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $91,810
- Median hourly wage: $44.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $97,880
- Median hourly wage: $47.06
- Total employment: 1,360 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $100,130
- Median hourly wage: $48.14
- Total employment: 920 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $101,480
- Median hourly wage: $48.79
- Total employment: 1,230 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $111,220
- Median hourly wage: $53.47
- Total employment: 130 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $121,960
- Median hourly wage: $58.64
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $134,100
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 280 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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